UPDATE: Police name closing hours for businesses in St Catherine SOE
KINGSTON, Jamaica — The police’s Corporate Communications Unit (CCU) this afternoon named closing hours for businesses within the State of Emergency announced by Prime Minister Andrew Holness for the St Catherine North Police Division this morning.
Read: Boundaries for St Catherine North SOE
In a release, CCU disclosed that the following are closing hours for all businesses in Spanish Town, Linstead and Bog Walk:
* Community recreational areas must be closed by 6:00 pm.
* Cook shops, dry goods and haberdasheries must be closed by 7:00 pm.
* Spirit license premises must be closed by 7:00 pm.
* Service stations must be closed by 7:00 pm.
* Clubs and fast food outlets must be closed by 7:00 pm.
* Pharmacies must be closed by 7:00 pm.
The police said that as part of ensuring that the threat to public safety is cauterised, there will be special focus on the bus parks in the areas within Spanish Town, Linstead, Bog Walk and adjoining communities that fall within the State of Emergency.
The CCU said that there has been approximately 49 murders in the division since the start of the year and last year recorded 136 murders, while 35 shootings have been recorded for 2018 and 137 for last year. The inter and intra gang feud in the division, it said, has accounted for a large percentage of the murders, shootings and other violent crimes committed in parish.
The police, meanwhile, assured the public that curtailment of activities will be done in accordance with, and with respect to human rights, and encourages citizens to cooperate with the security forces, as they seek to restore public peace and general good order in the society.
CCU, however, cautioned that the public should be in full adherence of the restrictions within the State of Emergency and advised that violators will be prosecuted.